March 19, 1868

Death of Col. Dunn

News arrives of the death of Colonel Alexander Dunn VC. Dunn, Commander of the 33rd Regiment of Foot was killed in Abyssinia in a hunting accident at Senafe.

Dunn was born in Toronto in 1833 and attended Upper Canada College and Harrow School.

Dunn was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions as a lieutenant in Lord Cardigan’s 11th Hussars during the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava. Dunn and the Hussars were outnumbered by the Russians 30 to 1. The Globe describes Dunn’s experience at Balaklava thusly:

Colonel Dunn’s share in this transaction was worthy of his lineage and country. He not only overthrew all with whom he came into direct conflict, but left the ranks more than once to rescue troopers whom he saw engaged singly against numbers, and to whom he brought succour of his resistless sword arm. It is thrust he tale is written of him; and when Her Majesty was advised to institue a new military order, for the distinction of cases of individual valoir in action with the enemy, and a demand was made for the most disgitinguished men for personal gallantry in the terrible Balaklava charge, Col. Alex. Dunn’s was the name which, by the common accord of officers and men, was returned. The Victoria cross was publicly delivered to him in Hyde Park, by the hand of the Queen herself.

His citation for the Victoria cross, published in the London Gazette on February 24, 1857 reads:

“For having in the Light Cavalry charge on the 25th October, 1854, saved the life of Serjeant Bentley, 11th Hussars, by cutting down two or three Russian Lancers who were attacking him from the rear, and afterwards cutting down a Russian Hussar, who was attacking Private Levett, 11th Hussars.”

After the war, Dunn returned to Toronto where he helped raise the 100th (Prince of Wales’ Royal Canadian) Reigiment Of Foot, where he served as major. In 1864, he transferred to the 33rd Regiment of Foot, becoming te first Canadian to command a British regiment and the youngest colonel in the British army.

Dr. Tupper’s Trip to Downing Street

As Hon. Joseph Howe (Anti-Confederate, Hants) has gone to Downing Street to make the case for the abrogation of Confederation as it affects Nova Scotia, so has Dr. Tupper gone to make the case for its maintenance. Hon. Alexander Galt (Liberal-Conservative, Sherbrooke) was reportedly asked to accompany Dr. Tupper but is said to have refused. It appears that Galt who has not been invited back into the Cabinet despite vacancies, is unwilling to do the Government’s bidding.